No abstract

The Mama SASHA project, implemented in Western Kenya, integrated an orange‐fleshed sweet potato (OFSP)‐focused, agricultural‐nutrition education intervention into delivery of routine health services and community‐based pregnant women's clubs. The aim was to improve the diets, nutrition and health of pregnant and lactating women and their children. Multi‐pass 24 hour recalls were conducted at 8‐10 months postpartum with a subsample of 206 mother‐infant dyads enrolled from intervention and control facilities during early pregnancy; repeat recalls were conducted among 79 dyads within 1 week. Intervention effects were estimated using mixed models adjusted for clustering and confounding. The intervention was associated with significantly increased beta carotene (BC) and VA intakes (as International Units [IU] and as retinol activity equivalents [RAE]) in both mothers and infants. The odds of achieving recommended intakes and estimated average requirements for VA were significantly higher among women in the intervention group [OR (95% CI): 1.39 (1.18, 1.63) and 1.60 (1.23, 2.08), respectively] but not their infants. Maternal and infant increases in BC and VA intakes in the intervention group were attributed to OFSP consumption. An integrated agriculture‐nutrition‐health linkages project can substantially and significantly increase pro‐VA intakes and adequacy of VA intakes.